


Reflection

by Warp5Complex_Archivist



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-03-03
Updated: 2006-03-03
Packaged: 2018-08-15 22:16:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8074879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Warp5Complex_Archivist/pseuds/Warp5Complex_Archivist
Summary: When a nebula begins to mess with two of the crew's minds, it could lead to a tragedy repeating itself. (08/10/2003)





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

He sighed in pleasure as her hands traced the contours of his thighs, making him shiver with pleasure.

She was a goddess, pure and simple.

The cares he felt outside of their hiding place disappeared as she kissed her way up his stomach, her dark hair brushing his skin, leaving a trail of fire in its wake.

Her eyes came level with his, searching for something...

He cradled her cheek with his hand, holding her gaze.

"We shouldn't be doing this..." she whispered, bringing her mouth down to his.

He chuckled softly and moved his head, caressing the length on her neck with his lips.

"No, we shouldn't."

He rolled her onto her back.

"Maybe we should stop."

Her hair spilled over the pillow and made her look like an angel from on high.

"Maybe we should."

Her hands tangled in the hair at the nape of his neck.

"I love you." He whispered before his lips could mesh with hers.

She smiled. "Love you too."

* * *

Trip shot out of bed and was half way across the room before he realised he'd been dreaming.

Again.

He rubbed his eyes sleepily and padded bare foot over to the mirror.

"Get a hold of yourself man." He told his reflection.

It wasn't a pretty sight. His hair was a mess, he had dark shadows under his eyes and a rather pressing problem below the waist.

Deciding that further sleep would be impossible after the most recent dream about HER, he picked up a PADD and began to read through engineering specs.

~ Jon will be surprised when he gets his report on time. ~

* * *

Hoshi curled her legs up to her body and laid her head on her knees.

"I really need to get a good night's sleep." She told the empty room.

Yawning she checked the clock by her bed.

She groaned and threw herself back on the pillows behind her, realising that the chances of her getting any sleep were slim to none.

* * *

~ Trip ~

~ Trip ~

"Mmmm."

**"COMMANDER!"**

Trip jerked violently backwards, his chair sliding to a halt just short of Malcolm's station to find the captain with a stern look on his face.

"Cap'n?"

"I've been calling you for the past two minutes. What's wrong with you today?"

Trip rubbed his eyes and cast a quick glance towards Hoshi's station.

"Nothin'. I was just working late last night."

The captain smiled. "Well tonight make sure you don't. You're tiredness seems to be catching. Hoshi's been yawning all morning."

Her head shot up and she blushed slightly.

"What's your excuse?" Trip asked, trying to look less...nervous...than he felt.

"I was...working too. Trying to brush up my Klingon."

Trip nodded and turned back to his console as the Captain returned to his seat.

"Travis, how long till we enter the nebula."

"Six minutes and 32 seconds."

"Be prepared to drop out of warp on my mark."

The view screen was filled with a purplish cloud.

Hoshi thought it resembled the shape of a bat and had said so. T'Pol had raised and eyebrow and suggested it was illogical to assign any meaning to a random phenomenon.

The ship jolted and she bounced in her seat. Once again the thought of seat belts seemed very appealing.

"What the hell was that?"

Travis checked his controls. "It seems like some sort of containment grid has been activated."

Trip pressed a few buttons on his console. "Enterprise is never gonna get through it. At least not as we are."

The captain frowned. "Perhaps we could adapt the shields to match the frequency of the grid. We wouldn't be disturbing the field at all."

"I'll start straight away Captain." Malcolm said, nodding quickly.

"Maintain distance until tomorrow. Tell Beta shift to notify me of any change in the grid. Let me know when you've come up with a workable plan Malcolm."

The captain left the bridge and proceeded to his ready room. Shortly after the crew's replacements entered the bridge, relieving them.

Trip, Hoshi and Malcolm were the last to leave, all entering the lift together.

"Anyone for a snack in the mess hall?" Malcolm asked, eyeing his two friends.

"I'm gonna get some sleep." Hoshi said, rubbing her temple.

"I will. If we're gonna work on this shield modulation, I'm gonna need some coffee."

Malcolm nodded and turned to Hoshi.

"Probably for the best you get some sleep. No offence but you look like hell."

"Thanks. Exactly what I needed to hear."

The rest of the journey was quiet.

"Night." Hoshi yawned, exiting the lift.

As soon as the doors swished shut, Trip leaned against the back wall and hit his head against it repeatedly.

"Trip?"

"Malcolm, I have a problem."

* * *

"These dreams have been driving me crazy! I mean, I can't even look her in the eye anymore."

Malcolm rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmmm. These dreams, are they...I mean..."

"Lets put it this way, if they were films, the censors would have a field day."

"That is a problem."

Trip snorted, taking another sip of his now lukewarm coffee. "Thanks Malcolm, I didn't realise that until you just told me."

"Easy, easy. Maybe you should try and forget about her. Perhaps, release the, um...tension another way." Malcolm suggested, trying not to be crass.

Trip took one last gulp of his drink before standing and collecting his PADDS. "Goodnight Malcolm."

"Night."

* * *

Meanwhile Hoshi lay asleep in her bed, tossing and turning.

* * *

"But-"

"No buts, you're mother wants you to go home. She's found a man for you to marry."

"But you promised."

"I tried, little one, I did. But I'm not you're father. She doesn't have to listen to me."

"But I don't want to leave! I like exploring and you need me!"

The man shook his head and reached out for her.

"I'm sorry..."

"No, you're not. Now I won't be a liability anymore. You'll get all the money you've spent on me back from the dowry he'll bring to the marriage...when I'm forced to marry someone I don't even know just because tradition says so."

"You can't be saying these things, it isn't right."

"I don't care! Please don't make me go. I'm begging you."

The man's face hardened.

"You will be going home and you will get married. I'll do whatever it takes. It's your birthright. Its written in the scrolls...."

"I don't care about the scrolls!"

"I'll give you four days. Then you must leave. Go."

He pointed toward the door and turned his back on her.

"But-"

"Leave."

She turned and fled down the corridor, running to his quarters. He'd help her.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?"

He had opened his door and she threw herself into his arms.

"My mother, my uncle...they're making me go back to the homeworld. They say...the scrolls have come to pass and they've found a man...I have to marry him in a week's time."

He stiffened.

"We knew it would come to this."

She sobbed harder, fisting his uniform.

"No! It can't. I can't let it end this way."

They sank to the floor still embracing.

"Shhh, darling, shhh."

* * *

Trip was tired but he was trying to avoid sleeping. The past few dreams had been increasing in intensity and length. He was waking up every morning with a knot of desire in the pit of his stomach that would not be released.

"Think innocent thoughts., hay stacks, the fields at home, sunshine, Hoshi in a stack of hay in a field with sunshine on her..."

He slipped into slumber, a small smile on his face.

* * *

She stirred against him in her sleep, her naked form brushing his. They'd made love desperately, clinging onto one another as reality came crashing down on them, tearing them from the fantasy they'd built to suit their desires. The fantasy that allowed her to stay with him, disregarding all their people's ways.

He turned to look at her, trying to imprint everything about her into his memory. Her perfume, the way her hair was so soft, the way she kissed him, the way she smiled...

A knife twisted painfully in his gut as he realised that in mere days that would be all he would have. Fading memories and a broken heart.

He'd always known it would end like this. She was the daughter of a priestess and as was traditional would marry a man her mother saw fit. In the interim she would travel and learn enough to make her an intelligent bride. Her uncle had taken her with him, as her father had died many years before.

But the thought of actually leaving hadn't entered his head at the beginning. He'd worked as an engineer on this ship for a few months before she'd come aboard and been assigned to teach her all he could about the mechanics of a ship like theirs.

He hadn't banked on falling in love. He remembered being too afraid to kiss her and eventually had been pushed behind a console and kissed so hard and with some much passion he thought he could have died a happy man right there. They'd managed to avoid being caught by her pretence of being fascinated with engineering and not just a certain engineer. He'd thought it a risky, temporary relationship but the longer she had stayed the more he had fallen in love with her.

Sometimes he wished for the innocence he'd had before. No ties, always looking for the next thrill, be it working on the fastest ships or talking the fastest women into his bed. He longed for the days of just being mildly involved with her, not emotionally invested.

But then he hadn't realised what being with her while she laughed or making love to her was like. She was everything to him and now he was loosing her.

He'd thought about petitioning her mother, asking for her to choose him as her daughter's groom. He knew it'd be fruitless. He came from a lower class, he was an ordinary worker. She was the daughter of one of his world's high priestesses. It'd never be allowed.

He hadn't noticed her wake.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her eyes indicated she already knew.

He stroked her cheek lightly. "We don't have much time left..."

She pressed her fingers to his lips, silently pleading with him to not continue.

"We have to talk about this." He told her, taking her hands away. "We should make the most of the time we have left."

"It won't happen. I'll convince them..."

"No you won't. You'll be leaving this ship soon..." his voice cracked. "...and I'll probably never see you again."

He stopped her next protest with a kiss.

"Just promise me you'll remember me."

"I promise."

He gazed into her eyes and saw the pain he felt reflected back at him.

"I love you. Always."

* * *

"The shield modifications are complete captain."

"Warp one Travis."

The ensign engaged the warp engines, taking Enterprise through the grid.

"The shield harmonics are fluctuating but are within acceptable parameters."

The ship slipped through the grid and Trip breathed a sigh of relief. He and Malcolm had been working on a way to get through to the mysterious grid for the past few days.

It had been a welcome distraction from the dreams.

"Captain, I am detecting a vessel, approximately two thousand kilometres off our port bow."

"On screen."

Soon a bluey grey ship, with a long curved shape filled the screen. It was small, probably a shuttle craft from a much larger ship.

"I know that ship."

He wasn't even aware he'd spoken until everyone on the bridge swivelled to face him.

"Trip?"

"I know it too."

Now all eyes were on Hoshi. He locked eyes with her and he knew.

He didn't know how or why he did but he just knew.

He hadn't been the only one having dreams.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" the captain asked, obviously confused.

Neither answered.

"T'Pol?"

"The ship isn't in either the Vulcan or Human database. I do not know how they recognise it. Perhaps they are mistaken."

Travis took his gaze away from the pair who sat stock-still staring at one another.

"They sure don't look mistaken."

Trip suddenly moved, crossing the bridge and pulling Hoshi to her feet.

His hands reached for the front of her uniform, unsnapping it and pulling it down to her waist.

"Commander!"

The captain was increasingly concerned.

"Trip, what are you-?"

Before he could finish the sentence, Hoshi had pulled Trip's uniform down too.

"Captain should I-"

"Wait." T'Pol ordered Malcolm, observing the pair in front of her. They looked like they were almost acting on instinct.

Trip turned her to face away from him gently moved her hair to one side.

"I didn't know Hoshi had a tattoo."

On the top her spine was a delicate design, several symbols in a row.

Trip didn't know how he knew what it said.

"Lover."

Hoshi turned back to face the rest of the bridge crew, spun Trip around and looked at the bottom of his neck.

She found the same design she knew she wore too.

"They painted these on so they'd always have a little bit of the other with them, no matter how far apart they were."

Her hands lingered on his skin, tracing the design with the tips of her fingers as she spoke.

She felt like she was electrified. The simple act of touching him was incredibly....arousing.

Trip shuddered lightly and caught her hand, pulling it away from his neck until she stood next to him.

"Jon, I think we may have a problem."

* * *

"So you're telling us that you've been having dreams that take place on this ship." The Captain asked, gesturing towards the picture of the alien vessel on the PADD he held. "And that you've been taking the roles of these two...lovers?"

"Yes." Hoshi replied, staring defiantly at him, T'Pol and Malcolm, who both wore sceptical expressions.

"Cap'n, this is real. I don't know what its about but I know we should get the hell out of here."

"He's right. This is a bad place. We should leave."

T'Pol shook her head. "That is an illogical idea. We need to study this phenomenon in order to find its cause and stop it."

"I agree. This could pose a security risk if more people are affected. Captain, I think we should change the command codes so that Trip and Hoshi could not-"

"Malcolm! We're not trying to destroy the ship!" Hoshi cried, her eyes wide.

"Hoshi, I think its best if the both of you are relieved from duty." The captain said, raising a hand to quiet Trip's protests. "Its just a precaution."

"But Cap'n-"

"That's an order."

Both Ensign and Commander stiffened at his formal tone and straightened their shoulders.

"Yes sir." The replied in unison, obviously resenting each word.

"I suggest you report to sickbay."

T'Pol ushered them out, walking them to the ship's medical bay.

* * *

"Hmmmm..." Dr Phlox clattered his equipment as he mused on his two patients, now lying still on separate bio beds. "Endorphin levels seem to be fluctuating wildly. Have these dreams been emotionally disturbing?"

Trip snorted. "You could say that."

"One dream is all happy and playful the next is gut wrenchingly painful."

Hoshi covered her eyes with her arm and yawned.

"Its so bright in here..." she said quietly.

T'Pol observed the doctor's work. "Can you see any pattern in your readings?"

"Perhaps. Their hormonal levels also seem to be fluctuating at precisely the same degree. Maybe this is a chemical imbalance of some form, like the Vulcan Ponn Farr."

"I'll inform the captain."

She left sickbay, eager to avoid discussing her own impulses with the doctor.

Dr Phlox nodded before turning to the most senior patient. "Your partner in crime seems to have fallen asleep. Perhaps you should try and do the same. Maybe if I can observe you while you are in the dream, I can find some more conclusive evidence."

Trip sighed and turned his head to the now slumbering Hoshi.

"I guess I should."

He closed his eyes and tried to will himself to sleep. He didn't have to wait long.

* * *

She could feel the slight burn of the symbol on her back, chafing against her uniform.

She welcomed the pain. It gave her something to think about other than the agony that filled her soul.

The screen held her mother's picture, talking on and on about how she should be grateful for her privileged position, how many young women would kill for her opportunity.

How ironic that she seemed to be the one girl in the world who didn't want her position and only longed for her lover.

"Mother-"

"The dress has been made by the finest tailor in the city and your future husband is performing the Rite of Anoclipoles at this very moment in order to prepare himself for your arrival."

"I have to go. I will see you in tomorrow."

"Goodnight precious. Sweet dreams."

The transmission ended and she buried her head in her arms.

"Little one?" he uncle asked, emerging from the bridge into his preparation room.

She lifted her head and stood defiantly.

"I must prepare for tomorrow."

"Of course. I'll see you in the morning."

She nodded and gave him the usual kiss on the cheek she gave him every night.

"Goodbye."

He didn't register her closing statement as different from the one she usually gave him.

* * *

Dr Phlox looked up in alarm as the pulse monitors of both his patients spiked.

* * *

"Captain, I'm reading another ship approaching at high warp. Time to intercept...30 seconds."

"All stop, shields up."

The ship came to a stop also and opened a channel.

"I am An Moret of the planet Maweah. You have invaded one of our sacred places. You must leave at once."

The tall, caramel skinned woman filled the screen, long grey hair falling over her shoulders. Two ridges ran vertically from her temple to her chin. Lines covered her oval shaped faced and despite her obvious advancing age she exuded power.

"I am Captain Jonathan Archer of the Starship Enterprise. We came to explore this nebula but two of our crew have been experiencing....strange dreams."

"You must leave! Before more die!" the woman told him, frowning.

"More die? I need to know if my crew are in danger."

"Leave this place and beam your people to me. I will take care of them."

"I can't do that. Please, I'm sure we can come to some..."

The ship jolted violently as the alien ship fired.

"Beam them to me or I will take them and destroy you!"

The captain shook his head. "I can't do that."

The woman cursed in her language, the Universal Translator having done a stellar job until now stumbling over her words.

"I lost my own child here! Don't lose yours."

"What is the danger? Maybe we can avoid it."

"Fool. You cannot avoid it for it as already happened. You say you're people are having hallucinations? They are already in danger!"

* * *

Dr Phlox was in the process of calling the bridge when Trip vaulted from his bio bed, delivering a swift right hook to the doctor before waking Hoshi.

"Darlin', we have to go."

She rubbed her eyes.

"Now?"

He nodded. "If we want to do this now's the time."

"Are you sure this is what you want?" she asked him sitting up.

"I'd rather die with you than live without you." He whispered, stroking her cheek.

The two embraced and ran out of sickbay, heading to shuttlebay.

* * *

"Please, what is the danger?"

The woman sighed and her face tightened even more.

"You're people are suffering the effects of this nebula. My people have not discovered how it works but it seems to have a hallucinogenic effect. People from ships who come near this place have been affected but as soon as they clear the vicinity they are fine. Your people seem to have been deeply affected. They are playing out the roles of my daughter and..."

The captain was worried now. When mentioning her daughter, she sounded emotional. What could have happened? He didn't wait long for his answer.

"...my daughter had a romantic interest in an engineer on her ship. They fell in love and when they....had to be separated, they killed themselves. Their obsession is magnified by this nebula."

"Are you suggesting your daughter and her lover's feelings are haunting this place?" Malcolm asked.

"Not haunting! We are a telepathic race and somehow their memories, their feelings are being reflected back to members of your crew. Please send them to me and I'll try and help cure their obsession."

"But my engineer and linguistics officer aren't obsessed with each other, they're just having dreams."

The woman was almost tearing her hair out. She was finding the humans on board the Enterprise most frustrating.

"Fool! The nebula magnifies the slightest interest and turns it into an obsession."

"An Moret..."

"My daughter and her lover killed themselves here and this nebula has preserved the emotions they felt, reflecting them to passing ships. Many have died and it is now my responsibility to protect others. Only I man my ship. This is my punishment for my daughter defying our traditions. Do you understand why you must leave now?"

"Captain we have an unauthorised launch of Shuttlepod One." Travis said, sounding alarmed.

"They will leave your ship and destroy themselves so they will not be parted, just as my child did. Good luck Captain. You will need it."

The transmission ended abruptly.

"Options!" The captain barked.

"The tractor beam and grappling arms have been disabled and the shuttle's shielding is stopping me getting a positive lock."

"T'Pol?"

"We could try and disable their shield generator then beam them out."

"Phase cannon locked on minimum power."

"Fire."

* * *

They both shivered as life support on their shuttle began to fail.

"They're trying to stop us..." she murmured.

"Of course. They wouldn't...want to lose the daughter of High Priestess An Moret."

She smiled. "I'm not hers anymore."

He returned the gesture holding her tighter to him.

"They....shouldn't have tried...to separate us."

"Now they'll never be able too."

"I love you."

"Love you too."

They kissed passionately, before lack of oxygen forced them apart.

The sounds of the their shallow breathing was the only noise in the shuttle apart from the computer's beeps of warning.

They curled up on the floor of the shuttle, loosing their tenuous connection to life with every passing moment.

She placed her hand over his heart as he twined a hand in her hair, the other cupping her hip.

We're together, she thought, that's the only things that matters.

* * *

"Captain, their life support is failing. Oxygen is being vented rapidly. We need to get them out of there."

"Malcolm, we need to transport them now!"

The armoury officer tapped the buttons on his console urgently.

"Captain....I can't find their life signs."

The bridge went deathly silent.

"Check again." The captain ordered.

"I'm sorry sir. There are no lifesigns aboard the shuttle."

"Captain, An Moret is hailing again." The ensign at communications said softly.

"Put her through."

The woman once again filled the screen.

"You were right. We lost them."

The woman smiled. "No, you didn't. I couldn't save my own daughter but I saved them."

"You saved them?"

"I beamed them aboard my vessel before their life support failed. I have lowered my shields. Beam them off and never return to this place."

The unspoken threat behind her words was clear.

"I won't. Thank you."

The woman nodded before closing the transmission again.

"Malcolm, beam them directly to sick bay."

A chirp on the comm interrupted the loud sighs of every member of the bridge crew.

"Captain, Commander Tucker and Ensign Sato seem to have absconded."

The Captain laughed with relief.

"Captain?"

"I think you'll find your patients returned to you right about now."

* * *

Trip gasped and sat straight up on his bio bed, only to have a restraining hand placed on his shoulder.

"Hoshi...where is she?"

The captain smiled. "She's fine. Asleep but fine."

"Have to see-"

Trip tried to stand but his legs buckled underneath him.

"Easy, easy."

With Jon steadying him, Trip managed to make it over to the side of her bio bed.

"Why...what happened?"

"Ensign Sato and yourself tried to kill yourselves while under the influence of a gaseous anomaly."

Trip turned to look at the Doctor, who was sporting the beginning of a black eye. Between caring for his patients and providing the Captain and Malcolm with confirmations of their recovery, he hadn't had any time to see to his own injury.

"What happened to you?"

"You did Commander."

"I did that?"

"Indeed. While liberating Hoshi."

Trip looked back at the woman lying still on the bed.

"She's alright though?"

"She's fine. You both gave us a quite a scare."

Trip managed to support his own weight and hobble back to his own bed.

"I almost got her killed. I remember shutting life support down."

"Trip, it wasn't-"

"I made her come with me."

"It wasn't you. You were not in control of your actions. The memories of two lovers were reflected onto you and Hoshi when we neared the nebula. When we entered it, the memories caused you to act out the roles of the two of them."

He lay back on the bio bed and closed his eyes.

"Jon, could you just..."

"Sure. You know where I am if you need me."

He heard the shuffling of feet as the Captain left and the scraping as the doctor pulled a curtain around his bed.

God Trip, you've really screwed up this time.

* * *

When Hoshi woke, she immediately knew she wasn't in her quarters. The steady beeps coming from behind her gave her a clue to her location.

Sickbay.

Sitting up gingerly, she found her whole body ached but she wasn't tired.

The realisation struck her hard and fast. No dream about Trip. Just a normal night's sleep.

More memories struck her. Being sent to sickbay, running through the corridor with him, kissing him in the shuttle pod and then passing out.

"Ah, Ensign...how are you feeling?"

"A little sore but otherwise fine."

The doctor smiled. "Good, good. How much do you remember?"

She grimaced as she swung her legs over the edge of the bio bed.

"Most of it. It's kinda fuzzy. We stole a shuttle didn't we?"

Phlox nodded. "Yes."

"Is Trip....Commander Tucker....alright?" she asked, almost afraid of the answer.

"He's fine. He woke up a few hours before you. He's asleep now."

She nodded and looked over her shoulder, catching sight of his form, covered by a blanket.

Dr Phlox noted the sudden tensing in the young woman's body and tactfully made a quick exit, muttering something about checking the decon chamber.

Standing slowly, relieved to find her legs were responding to her commands, she walked over to his bed.

He looked peaceful, she mused, staring down at him. His hair was decidedly more mussed than usual, so she reached out and ran her hands through it trying to straighten it up.

Her hand stilled when he began to stir.

"Hoshi?" he asked, quizzically. "What are you doing in my quarters?"

Her hand moved sharply away from his head as his eyes adjusted to the semi-darkness and he quickly realised his mistake.

"Sorry. I guess I'm still a little groggy."

She smiled and nodded. "I know the feeling."

There was an awkward pause that neither seemed eager to fill.

"So..." they said in unison.

They stared at one another for a moment before they both spoke again.

"Sorry."

She giggled softly.

"This is-"

"Awkward." He finished for her.

She noticed he couldn't seem to meet her eyes.

"Trip, it wasn't your fault."

He shook his head and chuckled. It wasn't his usual laugh, this one held more bitterness.

"Yes it is. I should have swallowed my damn pride and saw the doctor about the dreams or - "

"I could have done the same thing. But I didn't. If I'm honest, I thought....I thought it was just me, not some alien intervention."

"Well, you'll happy to know that you're not crazy."

She frowned. "Is it so crazy that I would dream about you the way...the way I did?"

That stopped him in his tracks.

"Its not?"

Deciding she should cut her losses, she backed off again. "Forget I said anything."

Before she got two paces his hand reached out and grabbed her bare arm.

"Hoshi?"

He had that look on his face. That one that had been haunting her dreams for the last couple of days and if she was truthful, for a while before that. That look that was tentative yet somewhat hopeful.

She shifted her weight from her left foot to her right before loosing her indecision. Moving fast before she lost her nerve, she took one step closer to the bio bed, leaned over and kissed him.

Momentarily startled, he stiffened. Was she really kissing him?

She took his surprise for rejection and pulled back.

"I'm....I'm sorry."

She took off at a run, pausing only to pull on the dressing gown someone had brought from her quarters.

Before he even had time to react, she was out of the room and away.

* * *

Hoshi lay on her bed, now clad in more comfortable sleepwear than the medical gown she'd had on in sickbay.

Yet the state for which her garments were made still eluded her.

She turned over onto her stomach and rested her chin on the pillow.

"Why did you kiss him?" she asked herself aloud.

When no answer sprung to mind, she buried her face in the pillow and let out a muffled groan.

It was that almost hopeful look on his face when she asked him if it was so crazy to imagine them together. The urge to kiss him had overruled her good sense and now she was faced with a potentially very awkward situation.

"Tucker to Sato."

The comm blared and she lifted her head but didn't answer it.

"Trip to Hoshi. Please answer me."

She put her head back down and ignored the next 3 pleas for her to answer him. She wasn't quiet ready to talk to him yet. Maybe when she figured out exactly how she was going to handle this new development. Anyway, she had no reason to leave her quarters so she should be safe until her next shift, which the Captain had informed her was two days away. Maybe she could get Elizabeth to bring her food or perhaps  
Travis...

* * *

She was dozing lightly when the doors to her quarters slid open.

Her eyes opened and she called out. "Wha-?"

"I've been tryin' to talk to you for ages. I thought I better come down here to check that you're alright."

Great, just great.

Deciding trying to remain professional and collected was the safest option, she stood and straightened her shoulders.

"I'm fine, Commander."

"Hoshi, this isn't a uniform inspection. If it was, I don't think you'd be passing."

Looking down at her attire, she realised he was right. Sweatpants and tank top accompanied with bunny slippers did not an ordered Ensign make.

She relaxed her posture slightly and looked up again. "Was there anything else Commander? I really should get some sleep."

He frowned at her forced formality. "Ranks? This was not meant to be a...I think we need to talk."

No response from her.

"You kissed me."

His statement caused a blush to cover her face but still she didn't speak.

"But what you didn't do was stick around to see what I would do."

"I think we both know Trip." She said, the words leaving her mouth before her brain could stop them.

"Do we?" he stepped closer, invading her space.

She took a step back but he matched it. "We don't?"

He smiled at her strangled, slightly panicked question. "How bout we find out?"

Closing the final distance between them, he kissed her, sliding his hands down her arms to twine his fingers with hers.

When he pulled back she was breathless.

"Do you know now?"

She nodded, smiling softly, her eyes opening slowly as if she had been drugged.

"I think I do. Maybe we should just check again to be sure?"

"Hmmm, I think that would be wise."

They kissed again.

"Oh yeah, I definitely know..." she whispered against his lips as he pulled her closer.


End file.
